This Year, We're Eating OUT on Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is two weeks away. All over the country, anxious husbands and boyfriends will be making their last-minute trolling rounds at CVS, Walgreen’s, the neighborhood grocery store, or hitting up the guy standing on the corner with a large white plastic bucket full of flora—all for a chance to find that last, sad wilted bunch of roses that have been picked over, overwatered or are just plain ugly and for which they would gladly pay top dollar. Does it really need to be this way another year? Really?

Spoiler alert for the men out there: Women adore a night out, especially one that involves food. No, seriously. We love food. Many may not want to admit it, but it's true. (But hey, you guys enjoy it just as much, so no harm no foul). And a fancy restaurant? It’s a no-brainer. While I’m not saying that there is a direct correlation between a woman’s happiness and the amount of money you fork over for food, it must be said that dining at the local Billy Joe Bob’s Grub Shack is far different from dining at Chéz Jean Louis Fancy Schmancy.

And since this little thing that we like to call life is a two-way street, the same can be said to women. Men go bananas when a woman says, “Let’s go to dinner . . . my treat.” It brings them almost as much joy as receiving power tools for Christmas.

Having said all of this, why not think long and hard—but not too long; after all, the big day of romance is just around the corner—about calling your favorite restaurant, making reservations for that special evening for you and your sweetie and sitting back to graciously accept the accolades of a job well done? You know you want it. Truth be told, it may already be too late to get a table but, hey, it can’t hurt to try, right?

On any given day of the week, dinner out is a pleasant respite from the worries of the day. On Valentine’s Day, it takes on special meaning as you sit across the table from the one you love—or maybe just the one you like a lot—stare into each other’s eyes, and ask that all-important question: “So what are you gonna order?”

Let me make one thing perfectly clear: I am a huge proponent of eating. Yes, we all do it, but some of us love it more than others care to admit. Obviously, I fall in the latter group. And it is with an equal dose of pride and humility that I thank the heavens above that forty-seven years of a love affair with food have not resulted in my appearance on The Biggest Loser. Not only is it the fuel that my body needs to maintain proper working order, but when I make the right choices, it is delicious on an elevated level.

Of course, there is always the option of retiring to one’s own abode for a home-cooked meal, which has a special meaning all its own. But seriously, haven’t you been in the kitchen enough already this year? Even the best chefs need a break from the pots and pans every once in a while.

Here is the absolute best part about dining out for Valentine’s Day: The choice is up to you. In the mood for hearty American fare? Perhaps Italian food is what you crave. And when was the last time you licked your fingers clean after devouring an entire rack of ribs? Where you go is, essentially, inconsequential. As long as it’s not McDonald’s. This is in no way an across-the-board condemnation of one of America’s most venerable dining institutions. It’s just that, well, it’s Valentine’s Day. Make it special.

Give it some thought. And when you’re ready, pick up the phone, make that reservation and, in turn, make someone’s day. Food is always a great way to celebrate.

Valerie, The Food Houndette